The present invention relates generally to an electrical connector structure wherein male and female connectors are coupled to connect the male and female pins thereof and more specifically relates to an electrical connector structure wherein mutual release and locking of the male and female connectors are facilitated by the lever action of a snap member associated with the male connector.
The same Applicant has filed Japanese Utility Model Registration Ser. No. 58-51425 filed on Apr. 8, 1983.
The disclosure of this Utility Model Registration No. 58-51425 is hereby incorporated by reference and will be described hereinbelow with reference to FIGS. 1 through 6.
In these drawings, symbol A denotes a male connector and B denotes a female connector. Numeral 2 denotes a flat flexible cable. The male connector A is provided with a plurality of male connector pins 1 extending longitudinally through a frame 16 which is transversely elongated. On the other hand, the female connector B connected to a flat flexible cable is provided with a plurality of female connector pin holes (not shown) to be connected individually with the male connector pins 1. The male connector A is formed with side walls 17, 18 disposed parallel to each other longitudinally on the front and rear sides of the frame 16 at each end thereof with a clearance therebetween for guiding the female connector B into proper alignment with the male connector pins 1 to ensure accurate insertion of the male connector pins 1 into the corresponding female pin holes.
A snap member 6 is interposed between the left and right side walls 17, 18 as denoted by 6l and 6r. The bottom of each snap member 6 is provided with a gear-tooth-shaped groove 21. A hole 5 extending between the side walls 17, 18 is located above the groove 21. An axle 4l, 4r is fitted into each of the corresponding holes 5 and also guidably fitted into an oblique, elongated groove 24l, 24r which is parallel to a rolling surface 23 at the base of the male connector A. As shown in FIG. 4, when the male and female connectors A and B are fitted to each other and locked by means of each engagement pawl 7l, 7r, the snap member 6 is in contact with the rolling surface 23 at a point C near an upwardly projecting finger 8 of the snap member 6.
It should be noted that the axle 4l, 4r is located at a center of radius of curvature formed at the bottom surface of the snap member.
As the snap member 6 is pivoted on the axle 4l, 4r outward as seen in FIG. 5, the contact point is moved from the point C to a point D.
When the snap member 6 is pivoted to its outward limit of travel, the contact point is further moved from the point C to a point E as shown in FIG. 6. As this movement is being carried out, the supporting axle 4l, 4r of each snap member 6 translates outward within the corresponding groove 24l, 24r. In order for each snap member to pivot smoothly without slipping, it is desirable that the groove 21 of each snap member 6 engage a gear-tooth-like projection on the rolling surface 23 of the frame 16. As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, since the distance through which each snap member 6 pivots is short, one tooth is sufficient for this pivotal movement.
In this approach, the distance between the contact points C, D, E and the upwardly extending finger 8l, 8r increases as the distance through which the snap member 6l, 6r is pivoted increases. However, the distance therefrom to the top end 14l, 14r of each snap member 6l, 6r remains substantially unchanged. Therefore, at the beginning of pivotal movement in the opening direction of the snap members 6l, 6r, the leverage is so great that a relatively light pivotal force on the snap members 6l, 6r is needed to displace the female connector B out of engagement with the male connector A. The leverage decreases as the female connector pins are removed from the corresponding male connector pins 1 to a minimum at the limit of outward travel of each snap member 6. Therefore, the distance through which the female connector B is moved per unit of displacement of each snap member 6 increases. This is acceptable since when the male connector pins l are not engaging the corresponding female connector pins, only a light pivoting force is required in spite of the above-described decrease in leverage.
However, such an electrical connector has the disadvantage that the upwardly projecting fingers 8l, 8r can easily disengage from the bottom edge of the female connector B as appreciated from FIG. 6 when the corresponding snap member 6l, 6r is fully pivoted to detach the female connector pin holes from the corresponding male connector pins.